BradyManny

ken, as always, I enjoy your idle thoughts.

I agree 100% with your first statement - a loss in the game is probably more awkward, in some ways, for the fanbase to take. Now, I didn't say difficult b/c these players livelihoods are based on their success, and we cannot understand the agony of defeat that they know. But we do not have the professionalism the players do, so it makes for an entirely different experience. If the Patriots were to lose, I agree that the players would be able to turn the page and focus on next year. We'd have to endure the juvenile, asinine Jets fanbase for months to come. We exist within the sports media and the sports fanbase. The players can actually separate themselves from that mess.

I will say that the Jets players and coaches are doing their best to take professionalism out of it and inject the troll-like silliness we see as fans and messageboard users into the pro football arena. Cromartie so clearly crossed a line, and if he is not severely fined by Goodell, then we will know there is a true bias from the Commish.

I find several of your thoughts on next year interesting, but I am not ready to look ahead. I am nervous enough about this game, and this team has a lot of work left to do.

patfanken

Well there are some drill you can do to increase attention spans.

Its kind of sad the LT's lasting legacy will be him sitting, by himself, pouting on the bench while his teams was attempting to pull out a heroic win. He did NOTHING to urge his team on and no one on his team came to console him. It was a test of character....and he failed. Conversely Philip Rivers earned nearly universal respect from Pats fans, for his effort that day.

[/QUOTE]OK, a legitimate concern but one that I'm sure Belichick has been preparing his team for. Brady is unlikely to be fooled too often and I'm guessing that it's been a point of emphasis for the kids as well. Keep in mind that the Jets probably can't go too crazy because the more complex they make their schemes, the more likely that THEY will blow an assignment as well.[/QUOTE]

No doubt they will be prepared. If I were BB, rather than making the rookies prepare for every possibility, I actually dumb down their responsibilities, making sure I was getting their best athletic performance and limit the possibility of mental mistakes As long as Brady knows where they will be going, it won't be ideal, but better than misread by the kids.

patfanken

If that's the price to pay for being a legitimate contender every year, I'll gladly pay it. Just think about the alternative.

patfanken

You know all this revival of the "spygate" issue, like that spurious Washington Post article, really piss me off. Its now getting to the area of Slander. I want the NY Jet office boy who is posing as commissioner to come out and FINALLY do the right thing and explain what he did, what BB position was, and confirm what he has publicly said already, that the Pats DID NOT gain a competitive advantage....and say it enough times so even the mudslingers get it.

patfanken

Not exactly - you have to respect RR's ability to scheme a defense. His ability in that areas aren't in doubt, and if you dismiss him for his other flaws, you do it at your own risk. Believe me BB doesn't underestimate Rex one bit.

Expect to see a lot of Jet defenders at or very near the LOS at the start of plays. As many as 9 would not surprise me. He wants to force the Pats to commit to an action as quickly as possible. Now once the ball is snapped I fully expect to see a lot of man under 2 deep, with very little blitzing. Just enough to justify the threat.

I'm sure BB is expecting the same thing. I'm not sure how he will handle it. He can go spread empty with 5 immediate threats like he's done vs Pittsburgh, or he can go with 2-3 TEs and play action pass against it, with 4 legitimate match up threats.

patfanken

This is exactly what I meant....and there are several guys on this board MUCH better than I to break down the possibilities, and I'm sure they will as soon as the playoffs are over.....and Miguel will tell us EXACTLY where we stand in the cap. Both the hypothetical one and the real one once the CBA is done.

letekro

Crash,

Wilfork and 2 JAGs is better, IMO.

Fencer

So the Jets might only lose two frontline players, while their QB matures? Not a terrible tradeoff.

The Jets have had pretty good injury luck this year, Jenkins and Leonard (and the Holmes suspension) notwithstanding. But that's not huge in forecasting their future success either.

Any thoughts on how Woody's backup is likely to do? The Pats have been very fortunate with backup OL, with their freshness sometimes fully compensating for the stepdown in talent. Russ Hochstein in the Super Bowl is the most famous example, thanks to Warren Sapp's big mouth, but not the only one.

Ty Warren and Mike Wright vs. Wilfork? Close call. Warren is a very good player too.

__________________
"To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness." -- Oscar Wilde

Fencer

I don't think the TEs restrict the chance to go 5 wide. Of the guys who haven't been catching passes this year, I question BJGE's ability to more than I question Crumpler's. And if the 2 TEs are the rookies, I have no doubts at all.

__________________
"To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness." -- Oscar Wilde

VinnyPatrollie

Woody's backup is Wayne Hunter and he's been capable for the Green Beans.47 games. 5 starts. Former 3rd rounder.